Screw-on F-type connectors are used on most RF coaxial cables to interconnect TV's, Cable TV decoders, VCR/DVD's, hard disk digital recorders, satellite receivers, video games, TV signal distribution splitters and switches. Initially, F cables (an RG-6 or RG-59 type coaxial cable with an F-type male connector at each end) were used in simple installations to interconnect a TV to a cable box, VCR or video game, with ample room between the devices to interconnect the cables by hand. The space behind such devices permitted a large bend radius for the cable between or behind the devices. For example, an RG-6 cable requires a minimum bend radius of 3 inches as specified by manufactures.
Due to space limitations imposed by the increased number of TV devices that are now interconnected in one small, high-density space or console, it has become difficult to install and remove the interconnecting F cables without first removing the device from the congested area or console. Many of these devices, such as large screen TV sets, are now positioned as close to a wall as possible forcing the F cables to make sharp bends in order to interconnect the cable to an adjacent device. As artisans skilled in the art of cable installation will appreciate, it is both the sharp bends formed in the semi-rigid coaxial F cables and the high density of these cables in current installations that have made the present means for installing, un-installing, tightening and loosening F-type connectors difficult and time consuming. It is the intention of this invention to provide a novel solution to this new density problem.
F connectors have a standardized design, using a 7/16 inch hex nut as the rotational connecting ring. The nut has a relatively short ⅛ to ¼ inch length available for finger contact. The internal threads on the nut and matching F female are a ⅜-32 thread, requiring the male connector to be positioned exactly in-line with the female connector for successful thread engagement as rotation begins. When the cable extends rearwardly from the connector and is both in-line with the threaded outer surface of the female connector and straight for some distance, aligning the male connector in the proper plane is not difficult. However, when the cable is bent adjacent to the male F-type connector, as is the case where the rear-mounted F connector on the device is adjacent a wall or cabinet surface, the installer must first straighten the cable for some distance so that the F male connector on that cable can easily screw onto the female connector.
The F male connector in accordance with the prior art is designed to be screwed onto and off of the F female connector using the fingers. The hex shaped nut is provided for wrench tightening the connector after the male F connector is fully screwed onto the female F connector by the fingers (usually 4 turns). To maintain a tight electrical connection and to meet the intended electrical performance, manufacturers and industry standards require the F connector to be tightened beyond the torque achievable by using only the fingers. In the case of cable TV products, the standard has been set to tighten the connector and then further turn the connector by another 90-120 degrees from the finger tight position. Consumer products which have weaker female mounting structures (usually plastic) require their F connectors to be wrench-tightened just slightly beyond finger tight. When the cable is bent, the torque required to install or remove a male F connector is increased. There is a need for a tool operable for providing the additional torque required for the installation or removal of the male F connector when the attached cable is in a bent position.
There are currently two tools and methods for using the tools for tightening and loosening F connectors. A first tool is a standard open-end 7/16 inch crescent wrench with a minimum shaft length of 4-6 inches. The use of this tool requires an unobstructed area for radial rotation of the tool around the axis of the F-type connectors once the threads on both male and female have been engaged. Sufficient radial open space is rarely available on TV devices where many other connectors and cables project from a device and occupy a small area.
The second tool, originally designed to install F cables through security devices in a cable system, are currently used to install F cables in dense locations. This tool consists of a 7/16 inch hex nut driver socket with a slot on the side to allow the socket to slide over an installed cable. The disadvantage of this tool is that the cable must be in a straight line with the male and female connectors being mated. This condition is no longer the typical installation situation; making this tool ineffective for its intended use. There is a need for a tool that can be used to connect and disconnect male F connectors in high cable density applications.
Zamanzadeh, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,010, discloses a coaxial cable connector tool that includes a hollow elongated housing comprised of two halves hinged together. The halves are closed around a female coaxial cable connector. When the halves are closed, a hexagonal hole is formed at one end, and another hole is formed at the opposite end. The hexagonal sleeve on the connector is snugly positioned in the hexagonal hole, and the cable is positioned through the opposite hole. The sleeve is then rotated by turning the housing by hand. The housing is substantially wider than the sleeve on the connector, and includes a hexagonal outer surface, so that it may be easily gripped and turned by hand. In a second embodiment, the housing is provided as a built-in component on new connectors.
As mentioned earlier, when an F cable is bent, the torque required to loosen the connector nut increases five fold, making it almost impossible to unscrew with the fingers without the benefit of a mechanical advantage. Notwithstanding the recognition of the problem in the prior art and the tools devised to solve the problem, a commonly practiced method for cable installation is to remove the TV or similar device from the console cabinet or move it away from a wall, thereby allowing the cable to straighten; making the connection with the fingers, with or without a tool, and then returning the device into the confined space.
Modern TV-related product interconnections are now made in tight spaces such as home master distribution boxes, inside home entertainment consoles, behind TV/VCR stands, etc. where most, if not all, of the coaxial cables are bent immediately from the plane of attachment to the device in order to most efficiently reach the device connected thereto. Accordingly, there is a current need for a tool for connecting and disconnecting male F-type connectors that is operable in confined spaces and provides the desired torque under conditions wherein the cable is bent adjacent to the connector.